Everything about Straight-acting totally explained
Straight-acting is a term used to describe a person who doesn't exhibit the appearance or mannerisms of the
gay stereotype. Although the label is used by and reserved almost exclusively for
gay and
bisexual men, it may also be used to describe a
lesbian with stereotypical
feminine appearance and mannerisms. Because the term invokes negative stereotypes of gay people, its application is often controversial and may cause offense.
Criticisms
Sex advice columnist
Dan Savage commented on the popularity of the term "straight-acting" in gay
personal ads, criticizing both the practice and the idea that a man seeking a
gay relationship through a gay personal ad is acting straight. Use of the term itself has been labeled as damaging to the LGBT community, as it associates certain attributes with
homosexuality.
Related terminology
Other terms are sometimes used to describe men who don't self-identify as gay nor identify with "gay stereotypes."
Down-low
The
down-low (or
DL) is a
slang phrase used among
African Americans for bisexual men who secretly have
sex with men while maintaining romantic relationships with women.
g0y
The
neologism g0y is used to identify men who are affectionate with other men but don't participate in
anal sex. They detest the ways in which
homosexuality has been linked to effeminacy and so have opted to create a new facet of
sexual orientation.
G0y proponents dislike the association of gay male culture with intersexed and transgendered people. The spelling of the term
g0y comes from replacing the letter
a — representing anal sex — with the numeral
0.
While both
g0y and
down-low have been criticized as excuses for homosexual men to stay
closeted, they've also been recognized as separate of the mainstreaming of gay culture.
SSA
Courage, a ministry in the
Roman Catholic Church for those with homosexual feelings to live chaste lives in accord with Catholic teachings, advocates this term for its members and also non-members who, for various reasons, don't wish to associate themselves with the
gay community and make clear that they're not sexually active and ae not part of mainstream
gay culture.
In popular culture
In a 2006 interview with
People magazine, former
'N Sync member
Lance Bass referred to himself and his friends as "straight-acting," stating, "I call them the SAGs – the straight-acting gays. We're just normal, typical guys. I love to watch football and drink beer." After receiving heavy criticism from the LGBT community, Bass later stated that he was unaware of the negative implications surrounding the term.
[Further Information]
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